Electronic leakage reduction techniques

ABSTRACT

Electronic leakage reduction techniques are provided, whereby an electrical outlet with a programmable computing unit is programmed to detect the current, resistance, power or pattern of current, resistance or power of an attached appliance in the on position and/or off position. Among other aspects, the electrical outlet with a programmable computing unit delivers a selected voltage below the original operational voltage and/or delivers voltage at particular durations for particular intervals to the appliance in the off position and compares detected current, resistance, power or pattern of current, resistance or power to programmed levels associated with the appliance in the on position and/or off position. If any or some of those characteristics match those programmed associated with the appliance in the on position, or fail to match those programmed associated with the off position by a set confidence interval, original operational voltage is provided to the appliance.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/806,083,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,821,161 filed May 29, 2007, and allowed Aug. 4,2010, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by referenceherein. This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/808,814, filed May 27, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to techniques for reducing electronicleakage from appliances and modified electrical outlets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A wide variety of electrically-powered appliances are known to drawelectrical current, using electrical power, even when “switched off,”meaning that the appliance is placed in a relatively inactive and unusedstate by the user, usually by pushing a “power” button or switching apower switch to an “off” position. (These buttons are often labeled withthe symbol:

, or a similar symbol.) The power consumed by appliances that are“switched off,” known as power “leakage,” is a matter of growing publicconcern because the associated unnecessary use of power is tremendouslywasteful of economic resources, especially in the aggregate, andcontributes to the creation of atmospheric pollution associated with theproduction of the wasted power at plants that expel pollution, includinggreenhouse gasses. See generally California Energy Commission, reportavailable athttp://www.consumerenergycenter.org/homeandwork/homes/inside/appliances/small.html.;see also http://www.energyrating.gov.au/library/pubs/cop5-leaking.pdf.

PRIOR ART

Prior art has addressed the problem of leakage through “Smart Switches”built into, or retrofitted to, individual appliances, such that anappliance draws little or no current upon pressing a power button, orflipping a power switch. See generallyhttp::/www.energyrating.gov.au/library/pubs/cop5-leaking.pdf. Similarly,one may simply unplug an appliance, or switch off a “hard switch” whichtotally breaks an electric circuit, preventing further leakage. Anotherinvention addresses the problem of leakage by enabling the electricalutility company to control outlets at each and all homes of theindividual consumer, to reduce their “draw” at critical times of powershortage. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,695, “System, Apparatus and Method forEnergy Distribution Monitoring and Control and InformationTransmission.” Yet another invention addresses leakage through a “smart”power strip, with one or more outlets designated as “control,” “master”or “hot,” which is constantly powered, but also monitored for currentusage, and other “slave” outlets on the strip that are switched off whenan appliance attached to the “control” outlet is “turned off.” Thatinvention is intended for systems, such as a computer, computer screen,computer-associated printer, etc, where the consumer may wish for allassociated devices to be switched off at once, when the computer, forexample, is switched off.

SOME DISADVANTAGES OF THE PRIOR ART

The latter invention discussed above does not address the problem ofleakage from the “control,”/“master”/“hot” appliance, which will stilldraw power while the associated peripheral appliances are switched off.Similarly, that invention does not apply to devices that areindividually turned on and off because the consumer does not wish tonecessarily associate their use and disuse with some other “master” or“control” appliance. In addition, such Smart Switches integrated innewer appliances address the problem of leakage on an ongoing basis, butdo not address the problem of leakage in the vast majority of existingappliances. Although a consumer may always unplug or otherwise manuallybreak the circuit, as with a finger-actuated power strip switch, thatsolution requires perpetual consideration and perseverance on the partof the individual consumer. In practice, the vast majority of individualconsumers leave their appliances plugged in, and leaking power, evenwhen aware of the problem of leakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Electronic leakage reduction techniques are provided. In one aspect ofthe invention, an electrical power outlet with a programmable computingunit and means for reducing power to appliances detects whether saidappliance is in “the off position,” and reduces voltage to theappliance, and then monitors the level of power drawn by the applianceto determine when the appliance is in the “on position,” and restoresthe “original operational voltage” to the appliance. More specifically,the electrical power outlet including a programmable computing unitdelivers a “selected voltage below the original operational voltage” tothe appliance while the appliance is in the off position, while testingthe level or pattern of power, current or resistance, and restoring theoriginal operational voltage to the appliance when said levels orpatterns match the state of the appliance in the on position.Alternatively, the electrical power outlet including a programmablecomputing unit may deliver a particular voltage for particular durationsat particular intervals to the appliance while the appliance is in the“off position,” while testing the level or pattern of power, current orresistance, and restoring the original operational voltage to theappliance when said levels or patterns match the state of the appliancein the on position.

The following definitions apply to the remainder of this application:

“The off position” means that action with respect to an electricalappliance, such as switching a main power switch on the appliance to the“off” position, prescribed by the manufacturer or user for reducingpower consumption by the appliance, has taken place without subsequentaction prescribed by the manufacturer or user for returning theappliance to the “on” position.

“The on position” means that action with respect to an electricalappliance, such as switching a main power switch on the appliance to the“on” position, prescribed by the manufacturer or user for increasingpower consumption by the appliance, has taken place, without subsequentaction prescribed by the manufacturer or user for returning theappliance to “the off position.”

“Original operational voltage” means the voltage or range of voltagesapplied to an appliance at which the appliance is operated, according tomanufacturer's specifications or customary usage by consumers.

“Selected voltage below the original operational voltage” means avoltage below the original operational voltage and at which a level ofpower, resistance or current of the appliance can be identified asrelating to the appliance in the on position.

“Pattern of current drawn by an electrical appliance” means a set ofmore than one level of current in an appliance occurring at particulartimed intervals.

“Pattern of resistance of an electrical appliance” means a set of morethan one level of resistance in an appliance occurring at particulartimed intervals.

“Pattern of power drawn by an electrical appliance” means a set of morethan one level of power in an appliance occurring at particular timedintervals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating exemplary programming and methodologyfor a programmable unit of a preferred embodiment of the invention, fora mode in which a selected voltage below the original operationalvoltage is applied to an appliance;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating additional exemplary programming andmethodology for a programmable unit of a preferred embodiment of theinvention, for a mode in which the original operational voltage isapplied to an appliance;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating additional exemplary programming andmethodology for a programmable unit of a preferred embodiment of theinvention, for a mode in which the original operational voltage isapplied to an appliance, and illustrating additional programming by theuser;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary system for performing thepresent techniques according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating exemplary programming and methodologyfor a programmable unit of a preferred embodiment of the invention, fora mode in which a selected voltage below the original operationalvoltage is applied to an appliance. In step 101, a selected voltage,below the original operational voltage for the appliance, is applied tothe appliance. As explained above, a selected voltage below the originaloperational voltage means a voltage below the original operationalvoltage and at which a level of power, resistance or current of theappliance can be identified as relating to the appliance in the onposition. By applying a selected voltage below the original operationalvoltage to an appliance, greatly reduced power consumption due to“leakage,” defined as power consumed by the appliance while theappliance is in the off position, can be achieved while monitoring theappliance for an indication that the user intends to return theappliance to the on position, which signs may include an increasedelectrical resistance, lower current, increased power, or a pattern ofresistance, pattern of current or pattern of power associated with theelectrical appliance in either or both of the on or off positions.Alternatively, a particular voltage may be applied for particulardurations at particular intervals, while still falling within the scopeof the invention. That alternative may be more useful where the onposition or off position is more difficult to determine with respect toan appliance at lower voltages, and the resistive, power and/orcurrent-drawing characteristics of the appliance in the on position oroff position do not vary widely over time or vary according to a patternthat can be detected at said particular intervals and particulardurations. In step 103, said preferred embodiment of this inventiondetermines whether a programming button, A, is depressed by the user,which would indicate that the user intends to indicate to theprogramming unit of the invention that the appliance is in the offposition. If button A is depressed, the programming unit proceeds tostep 105, in which the programming unit detects, with the assistance ofa sensor or sensors, the level or pattern of power drawn by theappliance, electrical resistance of the appliance or current drawnthrough the circuit made by the appliance and power outlet. It is withinthe scope of this invention that any of those three described electricalcharacteristics of the appliance may be detected and recorded. In step107, the programming unit then records in a memory unit either theaverage level of power or pattern of power over a set time interval,shown as 5 seconds in FIG. 1, under a code identifying those recordingsas recordings of the electrical characteristics of the appliance in theoff position. It is also possible for the programming unit to recordlevels or patterns of electrical resistance of the appliance or currentthrough the appliance/outlet circuit and accomplish the aims of thepresent invention. At that point, the programming unit returns to step101. If, at step 103, the programming unit determines that button A isnot depressed, the programming unit proceeds to step 109 and detects,with a sensor, the present levels or patterns of power drawn by theappliance, electrical resistance of the appliance or current drawnthrough the circuit made by the appliance and power outlet. In step 111,the programming unit compares the present levels or patterns of powerdrawn by the appliance, electrical resistance of the appliance orcurrent drawn through the circuit made by the appliance and power outletwith levels or patterns recorded in the memory unit during step 107. Instep 113, the programming unit then determines whether the presentlevels or patterns of power drawn by the appliance, electricalresistance of the appliance or current drawn through the circuit made bythe appliance and power outlet match levels or patterns recorded in thememory unit during step 107. It is within the scope of this inventionthat there may be a confidence interval, which indicates an amount ofdeviation between the present levels or patterns of power drawn by theappliance, electrical resistance of the appliance or current drawnthrough the circuit made by the appliance and levels or patternsrecorded in the memory unit during step 107. It is also within the scopeof this invention that such a confidence interval may be set by theuser. Such a confidence interval may be set by establishing minimum ormaximum levels of electrical power drawn by the appliance, resistance ofthe appliance or current passing through the appliance/outlet circuitafter which a match will be determined. Such a step may be accomplishedthrough any number of programming and user interfaces which will bereadily apparent to those with skill in the art. If, in step 113, theprogramming unit determines that the present levels or patterns of powerdrawn by the appliance, electrical resistance of the appliance orcurrent drawn through the circuit made by the appliance and power outletmatch levels or patterns recorded in the memory unit during step 107,the programming unit returns to step 101. If, by contrast, in step 113,the programming unit determines that the present levels or patterns ofpower drawn by the appliance, electrical resistance of the appliance orcurrent drawn through the circuit made by the appliance and power outletdo not match levels or patterns recorded in the memory unit during step107, the programming unit will cause the restoration of originaloperational voltage to the appliance, and discontinuation of delivery ofthe selected voltage below the original operational voltage. This may beaccomplished by the programming unit sending a signal to a relayconnected to the outlet/appliance circuit. As discussed above, theoriginal operational voltage means the voltage or range of voltagesapplied to an appliance at which the appliance is operated, according tomanufacturer's specifications or customary usage by consumers.Typically, in the United States, the original operational voltage for anappliance is 120 volts, at the outlet.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating additional exemplary programming andmethodology for a programmable unit of a preferred embodiment of theinvention, for a mode in which the original operational voltage isapplied to an appliance, and the programming unit has recorded levels orpatterns of the appliance in the off position, as in the methodology setforth in FIG. 1. In step 201, the original operational voltage isapplied to the appliance. The programming unit then proceeds to step203, where the programming unit detects, with a sensor, the presentlevel or pattern of resistance of the appliance. For many appliances,the characteristic level or pattern of resistance will be equivalent,within a confidence interval, across a range of voltages. This principalis well known within the art, and expressed under the common formulaV=IR, where the resistance (R) may be constant while voltage (V) willalter the level of current only (I). In step 205, the programming unitthen proceeds to compare the present level or pattern of resistance ofthe appliance with levels or patterns of resistance recorded in thememory unit during step 107 of FIG. 1. Once again, it is within thescope of this invention that a certain confidence interval with respectto the amount of difference between the present levels or patterns ofresistance and those recorded in memory during step 107 before the twocomparators will be found to match, under step 205. That confidenceinterval may be variably set by the user according to the user'sexperience with the effectiveness of particular confidence intervalswith respect to identifying when the appliance is in the off position.It is also within the scope of this invention that such a confidenceinterval may be set by the user. Such a confidence interval may be setby establishing minimum or maximum levels of electrical power drawn bythe appliance, resistance of the appliance or current passing throughthe appliance/outlet circuit after which a match will be determined. If,in step 205, the programming unit determines that the present level orpattern of resistance of the appliance matches levels or patterns ofresistance recorded in the memory unit during step 107 of FIG. 1, theprogramming unit proceeds to step 207, in which the programming unitdiscontinues application of the original operational voltage to theappliance, and applies a selected voltage below the original operationalvoltage to the circuit, and then proceeds to step 101 of FIG. 1. Step207 may be accomplished by the programming unit sending a signal to arelay or set of relays connected to the appliance/outlet circuit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating additional exemplary programming andmethodology for a programmable unit of a preferred embodiment of theinvention, for a mode in which the original operational voltage isapplied to an appliance, and illustrating additional programming by theuser. In step 301, the original operational voltage is applied to theappliance. The programming unit then proceeds to step 303, in which itdetermines whether the user has depressed button B, which indicates tothe programming unit that the user intends to indicate that theappliance is in the on position. If the programming unit determines thatbutton B is depressed, the programming unit proceeds to step 305. Instep 305, the programming unit detects with a sensor either the averagelevel of power or pattern of power over a set time interval, shown as 5seconds in FIG. 3. Similarly, the programming unit may detect the levelsor patterns of electrical resistance of the appliance or current passingthrough the appliance/outlet circuit. In step 307, the programming unitthen records the average level or the pattern of power, electricalresistance of the appliance, or current through the appliance/outletcircuit in a memory unit, under a code identifying those recordings asrecordings of the electrical characteristics of the appliance in the onposition. The programming unit then returns to step 303. If, at step303, the programming unit determines that button B is not depressed, theprogramming unit then proceeds to step 309. In step 309, the programmingunit detects the present level or pattern of power, electricalresistance of the appliance, or current through the appliance/outletcircuit, using a sensor, over a particular interval. In step 311, theprogramming unit compares the present level or pattern of power,electrical resistance of the appliance, or current through theappliance/outlet circuit with the average level or the pattern of power,electrical resistance of the appliance, or current through theappliance/outlet circuit recorded in the memory unit under a codeidentifying those recordings as recordings of the electricalcharacteristics of the appliance in the on position. In step 313, theprogramming unit determines whether the present level or pattern ofpower, electrical resistance of the appliance, or current through theappliance/outlet circuit matches (which match may be determined by aconfidence interval which may be variably set by the user) the averagelevel or pattern of power, electrical resistance of the appliance, orcurrent through the appliance/outlet circuit recorded in the memory unitunder a code identifying those recordings as recordings of theelectrical characteristics of the appliance in the on position. If so,the programming unit returns to Step 303. If not, the programming unitproceeds to step 315, in which the programming unit discontinuesapplication of the original operational voltage to the appliance andapplies a selected voltage below the original operational voltage to theappliance, proceeding to step 101 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary system for performing thepresent techniques according to an embodiment of the present invention.A user-depressible button A 401 allows the user to indicate to theprogramming unit 403 when the appliance is in the off position, at whichtime the programming unit 403 detects by connection to a sensor 405levels or patterns of electrical power, resistance or current deliveredin the circuit to an appliance via the outlet 407, according to aspectsof the present invention. The programming unit 403 is also connected toa memory unit 409, which enables the programming unit to record levelsor patterns of electrical power, resistance or current underidentifiable codes, according to the aspects of this invention. Theprogramming unit is also connected to a relay 411, which may switch thevoltage between the original operational voltage and the selectedvoltage below the original operational voltage. A selector 413 connectedto the programming unit 403 may be used to set any confidence intervalsdiscussed in this specification and/or the selected voltage below theoriginal operational voltage. A power source 415 enables the inventionto provide power to the appliance. Finally, a button B 417 connected tothe programming unit 403 permits the user to indicate when the applianceis in the on position, and the programming unit 403 may then also recordlevels or patterns of electrical power, resistance or current underidentifiable codes, according to the aspects of this invention.

It is within the scope of this invention that solid-state circuitry mayalso be utilized to accomplish some of the objectives of this invention.For example, a variably-set (by the user) reverse-oriented circuitbreaker could cause an outlet to cease delivering power below certainpre-determined power levels, which may be set by the user ascorresponding to the level of power consumption by the appliance in theoff position. Magnets may be interposed for the circuit to test thelevel of resistance and potential current of the appliance at that pointto determine whether the appliance is being returned to the on position,at which time the circuit breaker may re-close according to otheraspects of this invention.

1. A power supply configured with a low, off-position power mode, saidpower supply comprising: a power circuit configured to receive powerfrom an outside power source; a computing unit circuit configured tomonitor at least one of current, resistance, power, pattern of current,pattern of resistance or pattern of power within said power circuit andto control said power circuit such that said power circuit issubstantially disabled in response to an off-position power mode beingdetected; a reduced voltage circuit coupled to said power circuit andconfigured to provide a power output; and a relay configured totransition said power supply from said low, off-position power mode toan on-position mode.
 2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein saidcomputing unit circuit monitors at least one of said current,resistance, power, pattern of current, pattern of resistance or patternof power within said power circuit to determine whether a power level ofsaid power supply is above or below a predetermined threshold.
 3. Thepower supply of claim 2, wherein said computing unit circuit comprises alogic control unit configured for monitoring said power circuit and apower control configured for control of said power circuit.
 4. The powersupply of claim 3, wherein said computing unit circuit and said powercontrol comprise at least one of a logic executing component or amicroprocessor.
 5. The power supply of claim 3, wherein said powercircuit comprises a modulator.
 6. The power supply of claim 5, whereinsaid computing unit circuit is configured to monitor a signal of saidpower circuit.
 7. The power supply of claim 5, wherein said powercontrol is configured for control of at least one means to modulate. 8.The power supply of claim 5, wherein said modulator comprises a powerlevel controller.
 9. The power supply of claim 1, wherein said computingunit circuit is configured to monitor and control said power circuitinside said power circuit, without external signals.
 10. The powersupply of claim 1, wherein said relay is further configured totransition said power supply to said low, off-position power mode fromsaid on-position mode.
 11. A circuit configured to facilitate a low,off-position power mode in a power supply, said circuit having acontrollable circuit comprising: an input circuit configured forcontrolling and altering input power; a means for modulating power, saidmeans for modulating power configured for modulating the input power ata high frequency rate and transfer power; and a relay configured totransition said power supply from said low, off-position power mode toan on-position mode; wherein said controllable circuit is incommunication with a control circuit of said power supply, and whereinsaid control circuit is configured to monitor at least one of current,resistance, power, pattern of current, pattern of resistance or patternof power within said controllable circuit and to control saidcontrollable circuit such that said controllable circuit issubstantially disabled in response to said control circuit determiningthat substantially no load exists such that said power supplytransitions to said low, off-position power mode.
 12. The circuit ofclaim 11, wherein said control circuit comprises a logic control unitconfigured for monitoring said means for modulating power and a powercontroller configured for control of said circuit.
 13. The circuit ofclaim 11, wherein said modulator comprises a power level controller. 14.The circuit of claim 12, wherein said logic control unit comprises atleast one input coupled to said means for modulating power to monitor atleast one of said current, resistance, power, pattern of current,pattern of resistance or pattern of power within said controllablecircuit.
 15. The circuit of claim 14, wherein said at least one inputcoupled to said means for modulating power to monitor at least one ofsaid current, resistance, power, pattern of current, pattern ofresistance or pattern of power within said controllable circuit is anoutput coupled to a power controller within said means for modulatingpower.
 16. The circuit of claim 12, wherein said circuit comprises atleast one switch device coupled between said power controller and saidmeans for modulating power, whereby said power control unit opens saidat least one switch device to disable said means for modulating power.17. A method of facilitating a power supply with a low, off-positionpower mode, said method comprising: monitoring, using a control circuitin communication with a power circuit on a primary side of said powersupply, at least one of current, resistance, power, pattern of current,pattern of resistance or pattern of power of said power circuit of saidpower supply and determining if substantially no load condition exists;substantially disabling, using said control circuit, said power circuitof said power supply in response to said substantially no load conditionbeing determined, to result in a low, off-position power mode; andtransitioning, using a relay switch, said power supply from said low,off-position power mode to an active, on-position mode.
 18. The methodaccording to claim 17, said method further comprising re-enabling saidpower supply after a lapsing of a time interval.
 19. The method of claim17, wherein said determining if a substantially no load condition existscomprises detecting if at least one of a low current, resistance, power,pattern of current, pattern of resistance or pattern of power associatedwith an appliance being in the off position.